Clothes washing machine



May 5, 1953 D. K. FERRIS CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Original Filed April 3, 1944 Patented May 5, 1953 tllFl lCE CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Donald K. Ferris, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Original application April 3, 1944, Serial No. 529,331. Divided and this application January 2, 1948, Serial No. 235

1 Claim. 1

This application is a division of my copending application S. N. 529,331, filed April 3, 19%, now Patent 2,446,750, patented August 10, 1948, for Clothes Washing Machines.

This invention relates to washing machines and more particularly to clothes washing machines.

An object of this invention is to improve the washing action of a washing machine of the type in which an agitator is vertically reciprocated, by improving its construction and operation.

Another object of this invention is to improve the washing action in a washing machine, in which the agitator is vertically reciprocated, in such a manner as to reduce and minimize the tangling of clothes during the washing action.

Another object of this invention is to improve the washing action, in a washing machine of the type in which the agitator is vertically reciprocated, by reducing the speed differential of the agitator near one limit of its reciprocation as compared to the speed differential near the other limit or as compared to that produced by a simple crank and connecting rod directly connected with the center of the crank axis substantially in alignment with the axis of reciprocation of the agitator. This reduction in speed differential takesplace at the lower limit of the reciprocation preferably adjacent the tub bottom. By speed differential is meant the change in deceleration and acceleration which occurs as the agitater approaches and passes beyond its lower limit of reciprocation.

The washing action of my improved washing machine is characterized by the fact that the major portion of the clothes being washed are caused to float in the upper part of the body of liquid with only a minor portion of the clothes being circulated in the lower part of the body of washing liquid, this floating action allowing the clothes to untangle themselves as the washing action progresses, so that any article of clothing may be freely lifted out in an untangled condition', with very little effort. This improvement, I believe, is due to the fact that the agitator is moved quickly towards the bottom of the tub, thus producing a very violent ejection of water radial- 1y from between the agitator and the bottom of the tub. As the agitator reaches its lower limit of reciprocation, its speed differential is reduced materially (below the normal speed differential in the motion of the simple crank and connecting rod of the same amplitude as previously referred to), and this delaying or dwelling action permits the violently ejected Water to propel the clothes away from the agitator and towards the surface of the main body of a washing liquid before the agitator begins its fast upward motion. This action causes the clothes to unspiral and untangle themselves as they float near the surface of the liquid.

In addition, because of the specific embodiments used to accomplish the foregoing purposes and objects, this invention provides a construction, in the vertical reciprocating agitator type of washing machine, which prevents breakage due to unyielding objects, such as buttons or the like. This advantage is obtained because of the yielding connection. between the agitator and the driving mechanism.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical cross-sectional view of a washing machine embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a reciprocation curve corresponding to the agitator motion in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows the rim portion of an agitator similar to that shown on Fig. 1, but slightly modified.

A washing machine which embodies the foregoing principles of my invention may include a tub having a cylindrical side wall It and a rounded bottom wall H. These walls are adapted to contain a main body of washing liquid. This body of liquid, with the clothes to be washed, preferably should be at a level indicated by the dotted line l2, while the agitator I3 is stationary, which assumes an upper surface substantially as indicated by the dotted line it, while the agitator is reciprocating. The clothes or the like, which are to be washed, are placed in the main body of liquid within the tub.

The agitator :3 preferably is a small, rigid, cone-shaped, downwardly directed agitator, which has imparted thereto a series of relatively short reciprocations having a relatively fast downward stroke and a delaying action at the lower limit of said reciprocations. Reciprocations of this character, when they are imparted to an agitator, reciprocating near the bottom of the tub, substantially as illustrated, produce an improved turbulent action in the main body of liquid of such a character as to cause the main portion of clothes to float apparently near the surface of the main body of liquid, while a gradual toroidal action is imparted to the main body. However, this motion is distributes the clothes within the main body of liquid, that any one article of clothing may be removed from the main body of liquid with very little effort. Practically no effort is required to untangle it from the other articles of clothing. This action is distinguished from that produced by an agitator which has motion imparted to it by the usual crank and connecting rod by the fact that the mass of clothes are not formed into a compact ring-like mass near the agitator and are not spiralled and wrapped around each other as is the case with an agitator having the usual crank and connecting rod drive.

The reason for this improved washing action, I now believe, is due to the fact that the agitator is moved downwardly at an increased speed (as compared to motion imparted by the usual crank and connecting rod) until it is near the bottom of the tub. This produces a violent radial ejection of liquid which propels any articles of clothing which may be near the bottom of the tub, violently away from the agitator and upwardly to near the surface of the liquid. The delaying or dwelling action of the agitator near its lower limit of reciprocation permits the liquid ejection to propel the clothes substantially away from the agitator before the agitator begins the rapid portion of its upward stroke.

In order to impart my improved type of reciprocation upon the agitator I3, the agitator is actuated by a cam l5, having a non-circular actuating surface, substantially as indicated in Fig. l, which imparts reciprocation to the agitator i3 capable of producing a curve substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

Any construction which causes the cam I5 to reciprocate the agitator I3 in this manner may be used. For example, the agitator l3 may be connected with the cam l5 by means of a vertically reciprocable rod Hi. This rod l6 may reciprocate in a central bearing structure ll, having a fixed upper bearing I8. A s iral spring I9 is placed within the bearing structure IT with one end secured against the stationary bearing l8 and with its other end against the bottom 2i) of the reciprocable plunger 2|, reciprocating within the lower portion of bearing structure U. The rod I6 is keyed to the plunger 2| at 22. A roller 23, carried by the plunger 2|, bears against the operative cam surface of cam l5. The cam 15 is rotated by shaft 24 at uniform rotational speed. The shaft 24 is carried by bearings (not shown) which are rigidly mounted on the supporting structure of the washing machine. The spring l9 thus causes the agitator l3, rod I6, and plunger 2| to follow the rotating surface of the cam 5. This imparts a vertical reciprocating motion to the agitator !3 having a slower acceleration and deceleration (speed differential) at its lower limit as compared to its acceleration and deceleration (speed differential) at its upper limit, as indicated by the curve in Fig. 2. This curve has a faster downward motion and a longer dwelling action than that of the substantially true sine curve of an agitator propelled by a circular cam rigidly connected to the agitator with its shaft in substantial alignment with the axis of reciprocation of the agitator.

The washing machine may include a supporting structure such as legs 25, cylindrical apron 26, and a cross channel member 21. This supporting structure may support the tub If! by means of a rubber-like ring 28 at the upper end of apron 26. The channel 21 may support an upwardly extending ring 29 which is secured to a central opening 30 in the bottom of the tub. A flexible bellows 3| may be secured to th ring 29 by a wire ring 32 and may extend upwardly and may be secured to a disc 33 on the rod I6 near the point where the rod l6 joins and supports the agitator I3 by means of the threaded nut structure 34. The bearings for shaft 24, not shown, may be rigidly carried by this supporting structure.

By way of example, the tub l0 may be 23" in diameter and 18 in height from its lowest portion near the opening 30 to its highest portion at the rim 35. The agitator may have a coneshaped bottom |3 at 45 degrees to the horizontal, and may be 10" in diameter at the bead 36. The cylindrical body l3", at the upper portion of the agitator, may be 3" in diameter. The bead 36, at the lower portion of the agitator may be spaced from A to A" above the bottom of the tub, when the agitator is at its lowest position, and the reciprocation may have an amplitude of 2 A". The shaft 24 may be rotated approximately at 280 revolutions per minute and may be provided with a counterbalancing flywheel (not shown) of sufficient weight to insure substantially uniform rotation of shaft 24.

With the foregoing dimensions, the machine operates most satisfactorily with approximately 6 lbs. (dry Weight) of clothes, and with approximately 18 gallons of water in the tub. When in operation, the spring l9 constantly urges the rod l6, agitator 3, plunger 2| and roller 23 downwardly against the upper surface of cam l5. As the cam rotates, it imparts a vertical reciprocation to the agitator l3, with a slower motion at the lower limit of reciprocation than at the upper limit, as indicated by the curve in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 should be considered as traveling to the left, so that the portions of the curve represent the downward stroke of the agitator, while the portions 4| indicate the upward stroke. Because of the shape of cam Hi, the reciprocation (speed differential) near the lower limit is slower and generates a more gentle curve at 42, than at the speed differential near the upper limit of reciprocation, where there is a relatively sharp curve generated at 43.

This type of motion imparts an increased turbulence to the liquid and clothes, and the clothes can be seen to be freely suspended in the water, and readily separable from each other. The amount of agitation is very pronounced in proportion to the power consumed as compared to an agitator which is reoiprocated by the usual crank or eccentric connecting rod.

Also, because of the resilient connection between the rigid agitator and the driving mechanism, no breakage occurs if a large button or other unyielding object should become lodged between the agitator l3 and the bottom wall II.

If desired, the lower portion of the rigid cone of the agitator may be provided with a flexible edge instead of the rigid bead 36, the flexible edge being shown in Fig. 3.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claim which follows:

What is claimed is as follows:

A washing machine comprising a tub, an agitator mounted within said tub substantially at the center axis thereof for reciprocation adjacent the bottom of said tub, said agitator comprising a downwardly directed cone of relatively small horizontal extent compared with said tub, a reciprocating mechanism connected to said agitator, said mechanism including a vertically reciprocable rod secured to said agitator and passing through the bottom of said tub, a spring connected to said rod to urge said rod clownwardly, a lobe-shaped eccentrically mounted cam maintained in contact with said. rod by the action of said spring, and means to rotate said cam to produce a vertical reciprocation of said agitator with a reduced speed acceleration and deceler-- ation of the agitator near the lower limit of its reciprocation as compared to the speed acceleration and clece1eration in its upper limit and as compared to that produced by a simple crank and connecting rod directly connected with the center of the crank axis substantially in alignment with the axis of reciprocation of the agitator.

DONALD K. FERRIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 

